Enough
by alch
Summary: The Konoha Central Library was not known for being large or grand, but to them, it was enough.
1. Prologue

Enough

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Summary: The Konoha Central Library was not known for being large or grand, but to them, it was enough.

Info: Due to the fact that this is a slight AU, one must assume that certain liberties will be taken with the characters. Years have passed, Itachi did not kill off his clan, and therefore his character is based more on the idea of what he did to protect his village and the love he showed his brother. Itachi is clearly loyal and compassionate, although due to his skill set, his emotions are much more guarded.  
>Seen through the jump into Naruto Shippuden, Naruto had grown much more professional and less childish, so I tried to keep that rate going. Although he will still be the silly Naruto we all know, he's much more mature than his previous counterparts, as age and skills due to anyone.<p>

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><p><span>Naruto's POV<span>

It had been a long time since Naruto felt the need to be accepted by the village. After becoming a ninja, Naruto had worked endlessly to show everyone that he meant his promise to protect the village at any cost. Being Hokage had been a dream of his past, a child's dream. He knew he was no good at sitting with paperwork. After all, if Tsunade-baachan couldn't do it, he definitely couldn't. Naruto leaned his head back against the park bench and found a shadow blocking his view. Opening his blue eyes, Naruto faced the red sharingan that stared down at him.

"Uzumaki-san, Hokage-sama would like you to come to her office regarding your latest mission," Itachi stated. He turned around and left without even looking to see if he would follow.

"Ah, wakatta*," Naruto nodded, stood up, wiped his hands on his pants and followed quietly.

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><p><span>Itachi's POV<span>

Itaci was a good ANBU captain. He knew how to read people and reacted to situations accordingly. His loyalty to his team and his village made him a force to reckon with on the field, and he knew it. Even with it, Itachi knew that his loyalty and determination to protect the village was outshined by the boy who walked beside him.

No, Naruto was no longer a boy. Naruto had become strong. He had taken the resentment of the village and somehow used it as a reason to get stronger, and turned them around to become his loyal allies. Naruto had created his own family, a family that comprised of uncanny people from all over. Their belief in his skills had pushed him to become a skilled ninja and a valuable asset to the village. His determination and his Kyuubi abilities allowed him to make him one of the village best. Even Itachi could admit it, although perhaps not verbally.

Having worked with Naruto a few times before, his silence today was an uncharacteristic contrast to his normally exuberant personality.

"Uzumaki-san, something is bothering you." It wasn't a question.

"Ah… hai." Naruto seemed sheepish in admitting the weakness before him.

Calmly, Itachi stated, "It is not something to be ashamed of to have emotions. Although we are elite ninja of Konoha, we are human before all else. If you wish for someone to speak with, I am available." Itachi had learned at a young age that simple gestures of kindness and praise went a long way in building a team mentality and loyalty amongst ninjas who only saw death around them.

Strangely, Naruto was still quite somber. "Uchiha-san, where do I belong?" It was a seemingly simple question, but Itachi understood he had to tread carefully here. "I will not making a good Hokage. I do not have the patience you hold or the intelligence Shikamaru holds or the diplomatic skills of Sakura. I have nothing to offer the village." These names were names Itachi recognized as other contenders for Hokage at the retirement of Tsunade-sama.

"Uzumaki-san. Is it not your dream to be Hokage?" Itachi asked.

"It was… but it is no longer my place, I see that now."

"Then where do you belong?"

It took a moment for Naruto to find a response, "I belong where I can best serve the village."

"Uzumaki-san, listen carefully for I will not repeat myself. Your unwavering loyalty to the village and your commitment to your team has shown that you indeed have much to offer. If your only true wish is to protect the village and if you truly no longer wish to be Hokage, you should consider taking over my leadership of ANBU. I will not hold this position forever, and you would do well in it." Having arrived in front of Tsunade-sama's office, Itachi gave a curt nod and walked off, leaving Naruto to ponder their conversation.

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><p><span>Naruto's POV<span>

Perhaps he had been wrong his whole life. All he had ever wanted to do was protect his village and be accepted. As a young boy, Naruto had thought that being Hokage would be how to accomplish this. He wanted nothing more than to serve Konoha.

He thought about it and decided he could do it. He could be ANBU captain. Many of his friends were Jounin or ANBU now, and as captain he would be able to protect them. For Naruto, the dream wasn't as strong as the one of becoming Hokage, but being ANBU captain would be enough.

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><p><span>Itachi's POV<span>

Itachi's face noticed the change in Naruto's demeanor. Naruto stood straighter and gave off his usual aura of happy exuberance that was much more characteristic.

Yes, Itachi knew he had done the right thing. Naruto would make a fine replacement for him. Itachi had been ANBU since he was 13, and it was about time he looked towards other options.

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><p>* Wakatta – "Got it"<p> 


	2. Disgusting

Enough: Chapter 2

Standard Disclaimer

-Please keep in the note about everyone's characters. New circumstances call for changes in behavior.

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><p><span>Hinata's POV.<span>

For Hinata, the library was her haven; it was her place- a place where she felt she belonged. The Konoha Central Library was very different from the Hyuuga Compound's private library. It held stories as much as it held histories, and as many fantasies as realities. The Hyuuga collection was merely a war room with scrolls on tactics, strategies, and battles.

Hinata pushed open the door to the library and inhaled, allowing the scent of printed ink and paper to fill her petite body. And for a fleeting moment, she thought she could smell the lavender of her mother's fragrant perfume as well. A small smile graced Hinata's features and she gently moved towards her favourite table. It stood in a sunlight corner that looked out towards the park. Hinata could look out at the trees when her eyes grew weary and the children when her heart grew heavy. But, the reason the table was her favourite had nothing to do with its location. It was simply because it had been her mother's favourite table. Hinata could vaguely remember being here with her mother, being read stories of great ninjas and of love that transcended time and village rivalries.

Drawing herself from her daydreams, Hinata pulled out her books as the library began to slowly fill up. People of all kinds came to the library; Academy students, jounins, and senseis, civilian recreational readers, everyone and anyone. And although Hinata was ashamed over her selfish feelings, she could not hide the little frown that passed her normally gentle features as she noticed the people around her. Even without her Byakuugan activated, Hinata could make out the genin writing obscenities in books, civilian girls gossiping in another corner, and a couple making out on top of a chair whilst scattering books everywhere. Hinata could only clench her fists as she looked around her to see people holding no respect for the place she considered her second home.

"-Disgusting." A soft voice started Hinata from her thoughts and even without her noticing, she had activated her Byakugan and bored into the Sharingan eyes of Uchiha Itachi.

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><p><span>Itachi's POV<span>

"Itachi, try to smile a little, ne?" Itachi stiffened as his mother hugged him, whispering those words into his ear. Itachi's mother looked at him and with a smile, she shooed him off.

This certainly wasn't the first time Itachi had heard such remarks from his mother over the year. Itachi appreciated his mother's nagging. Without his mother, Itachi was sure he'd have been something akin to Danzo's idea of an ideal ninja. Emotionless. A Killer. His mother had taught him to be _human. _

Although his ninja training required him to keep a stoic appearance, Itachi was not as emotionless as others believed. He was merely …more controlled and introverted than others. As a growing child, his rare abilities as a shinobi limited his contact with other companions of his age group, which limited his ability to warm up to others from a young age. It was the price to pay for his "genius," as others named it.

Despite his geta*, Itachi's steps were noiseless on both the dirt streets of Konoha and the carpets of the Konoha Library. With Itachi's ever-present Sharingan, he could spot two open chairs in the library. He chose to sit by the window, noticing all the others in the befouling the library as he walked.

Upon arriving at the table, Itachi noted he had made a good choice. This particular Hyuuga was not only quiet, but respectful and less prone to…._fanaticism. _She wouldn't distract him from his studies with annoying habits or the same fawning the other girls of the village happened to enjoy. He took in her quaint figure and the little crease of her eyebrows with his sharingan and chuckled internally as he read her body language. She was as disgruntled with the others in the library as he was and must have thought it was disgusting.

When the Hyuuga turned around to face him, Itachi was internally embarrassed. He had lost control for a moment when he chuckled and had said the last word out loud.

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><p>Geta* - a wooden sandal that originated in China and permeated into Japanese society<p> 


	3. Manners

Standard Disclaimer Here

Please continue to note that I am still both, experimenting with writing styles, and with characters in the AU.

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><p>Itachi watched as Hinata tilted her head slightly to the side, a confused, bashful look passing her doe-wide eyes.<p>

She must have been startled at what could have only been classified as an "outburst" by the stoic Itachi, and Itachi could only marvel at the small girl who held his eye contact unwaveringly. She did not flinch. She did not move. She did not show any fear. Though trained ANBU twice her size could not look directly at him when he had his sharingan activated, this petite little medic-nin looked Itachi straight in the eye. She was no stranger to strange eyes and held no apprehension for them, or the people who bore them. Itachi trusted that with her byakugan, she would see that the comment was not directed at her in any way. Hinata searched his face for the right reply to his outburst and Itachi allowed his lips to tilt into a small smile to show he meant no harm. "Ah, gomennasai Hyuuga-san, that comment was not directed towards you. I was merely commenting on the … _actions_ of the others surrounding us. There seems to be a lack manners as well as spare tables, may I sit here?" Itachi was surprised to find himself pleased that with those words, he had diffused the situation and that the Hyuuga grew considerably more comfortable as she nodded, turning her head back towards her books.

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><p>"<em>Ah, gomennasai Hyuuga-san, that comment was not directed towards you. I was merely commenting on the… actions of the others surrounding us. There seems to be a lack of manners as well as spare tables, may I sit here?"<em>

Hinata wasn't even aware that she was holding in a breath until she felt herself softly exhale. She nodded her head, completely understanding how he was feeling. Although "disgusting" was a harsh word, it came close to how she felt. She might have chosen a word such as, "disgruntled," but after some thought, it amounted to the same thing and so she quickly turned back towards her books, getting lost in her own little word once again… or attempting to in any case. Alas, Hinata was a bit… distracted. Her byakugan not only allowed her to read considerably faster than others, but at the same time it also allowed her to sneak glances at the Uchiha in front of her without looking any different. _This was the once grace the Hyuuga clan had given her, her eyes._

She had never been in close proximity to any Uchiha before, and even when she was in the Academy and a younger genin, she had been too enthralled with Naruto to look at other boys. Sure she had known that the Uchiha boys were good looking, after all, every girl in her class had been as obsessed with Sasuke as she had been with Naruto, but now that she sat right across from the older Uchiha _and_ had given up her romance daydreams of Naruto, she could fully appreciate Itachi. She marveled at everything from his ANBU-toned body to his extreme control and precision. She took note of the maturity that radiated off of him, despite him only being a few years her senior. He was the paradigm of efficiency and neatness, which Hinata found to be a refreshing change from her previous crush Naruto, who was anything _but_ efficient and neat.

It had been hours since they had sat in the library and darkness had begun settling on the park outside. As the windows dimmed and the lights flickered on, the two continued to sit and work. Hinata would have sat all night working if she had to, she did not want to be the first to leave. She did not want to seem _weak_ in front of Itachi. She had spent her whole life being weak, she would not let him see that part of her. Hinata wasn't sure exactly what he'd heard, but she was sure he had heard something about the '_disgraceful Hyuuga-heiress'._ She would prove those as false rumors. After all, when she had decided to leave her idolizing of Naruto behind, she had decided to leave the timid, shy Hinata behind as well.

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><p>Itachi was impressed, the girl had stayed at the table when the library emptied for lunch, the girl had stayed at the table when the library emptied for dinner, the girl had stayed at the table when the library emptied for nighttime. Perhaps what he'd heard had been wrong, rumors to put other clans at ease. An intercom interrupted his little musings as a lady's voice rang through the library, "The library will be closing in 5 minutes. Please return all unused books to their correct shelves and move towards the counter to check out any books you'd like to take home. Thank you." When he looked towards Hinata again, she was looking towards him as well. They both nodded and began gathering their things.<p>

Uchiha fell in step beside the Hinata and held the door open for her, knowing she'd have a difficult time with the immense pile of books she had brought with her. Surprised by exactly how dark it had become, Itachi's automatically thought of what his mother would say if he had let a girl walk home alone. A little sigh of annoyance almost passed through his lips but he quickly controlled the urge. With grace, he turned towards Hinata and asked, "Hyuuga-san, would you allow me to accompany you home? It would be ungentlemanly and unseemly of me to allow a lady such as yourself to walk home alone at this time of night." Itachi knew Hinata would comply, no matter how she felt about such an arrangement. After all, she was the Hyuuga heiress and had had manners and social customs hammered into her since birth. A quiet, "Arigatou Uchiha-san, I would be honored to have you escort me home," and the two began walking down the main road towards the Hyuuga compound.


End file.
